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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Scott Kendall, Attorney, on Alaska's top-four primary and RCV election system
2:07:49
·
3 min
Scott Kendall, an attorney from Anchorage, Alaska, and author of the ballot measure creating Alaska's top-four primary and RCV system, testifies on its success.
He reports that over 80% of Alaskan voters found the system simple and over 70% supported the open primary portion, with no decrease in turnout. Kendall highlights that the system is unhackable, performed well with large candidate fields (up to 48), allowed for historic elections (like Mary Peltola's), and has led to a more representative state legislature (majority women, more Alaska Natives) and more collaborative governance with bipartisan majorities in both legislative houses.
- Alaska's top-four primary and RCV system has been well-received by voters, with high simplicity ratings and support for open primaries.
- The system has not depressed turnout and has handled large candidate fields effectively.
- It has led to a more diverse legislature and bipartisan governing coalitions.
- Every voter's vote counts equally, and all candidates can appear on the primary ballot without needing to gather signatures.
Scott Kendall
2:07:49
Yeah.
2:07:49
Thank you for having me.
2:07:50
I appreciate you all, taking on these issues.
2:07:53
My name is Scott Kendall.
2:07:54
I'm an attorney here in Anchorage, Alaska.
2:07:58
I was the author of our ballot measure that gave us top four primaries and RCV here, what they call the Alaska system, which has gotten some discussion.
2:08:10
I do wanna dispel a little bit of the misinformation that came out, whether it's, that it delays results or that it's confusing.
2:08:20
It's actually not true that it depresses turnout.
2:08:22
Our turnout did not go down.
2:08:25
In fact, we pulled our voters both times they've used the system statewide.
2:08:29
Over 80% said it was simple.
2:08:31
Over 70%, supported the open primary portion of it.
2:08:37
It is an unhackable system.
2:08:39
It's a system that has been battle tested in fields of up to 48 candidates when representative Don Young passed away.
2:08:46
It performed beautifully.
2:08:48
As was discussed by mister Ritchie, it opens up the field.
2:08:52
Four people get on the ballot.
2:08:54
And Mary Paltola, who was the fourth place finisher in the primary, who was not actually supported by the Democratic party as their primary candidate, but as a candidate of excellent quality, actually came in first in the general.
2:09:07
So including that broader field is meaningful and resulted, in the historic election of the first Alaska native member of our congressional delegation.
2:09:18
The appealing thing about this system is every vote counts the same.
2:09:22
You don't have to artificially change your party.
2:09:24
You don't have to change your to change your party back and forth.
2:09:26
You show up, and I pick up a ballot.
2:09:29
I can vote for democrat Mary Paltola on the same ballot that I vote for republican Lisa Murkowski, and it just works.
2:09:36
Every voter's vote counts the same.
2:09:38
Every voter can vote for every candidate.
2:09:40
Every candidate, whether whichever party they're in, minor party, nonpartisan, unaffiliated, gets to appear on that primary ballot.
2:09:48
They don't have to gather signatures.
2:09:49
They're treated no differently.
2:09:52
One thing that's very fascinating was that this system in just two election cycles has resulted in a state legislature that is more representative of Alaska's population.
2:10:05
We are a majority nonwhite in Alaska.
2:10:07
We are actually the most diverse state in the country.
2:10:10
We have the most diverse city in the country.
2:10:12
And lo and behold, two cycles in, we have elected, for the first time, a majority of women to our legislature.
2:10:20
We have elected the most Alaska native candidates.
2:10:23
We've elected, people from the Filipino community, African American community.
2:10:28
Our legislature isn't quite there yet, but our legislature has actually begun in just two cycles to look a lot more like the population of Alaska.
2:10:37
No longer do candidates feel like they have to wait in line behind the party's preferred candidate before it's their turn to run.
2:10:44
Everyone runs.
2:10:45
Its free market elections make the best candidate win.
2:10:49
And we do have, in addition to changing who gets elected, though, it's important that it changes their incentives once they are elected.
2:10:56
A lot of incumbents were reelected under the system, but their behavior has changed meaningfully.
2:11:02
We now have two bipartisan majorities, democrats, republicans, and actually some independents governing both our state house and our state senate.
2:11:11
And this year
Sharon Greenberger
2:11:12
Thank you.
Scott Kendall
2:11:13
They adjourned early, and they actually passed a historic boost to education funding.
2:11:18
Thank you.
Sharon Greenberger
2:11:18
Thank you so much.